Photo taken by me in Karak Jordan
The Home Cruise
<<*>>
Reclining on a pinkish sandstone balcony
It is now our family ship
In the windy night.
Under blankets, sipping tea,
Our head-scarves billow out like sails
As we cruise our ocean safely
In God’s sight.
My brother is the captain of the voyage,
He smokes narguila
In the only plastic chair,
While we women snuggle under
Feeling safe and warm,
He talks of ageless wisdom,
Expels his words with smoke
To the chilly air.
I have returned to the
Arab womb of family
The shared stories,
Hospitality and care.
The lights of a small village
In the distance
Twinkle to invite
Our joyous boat to dock
While loving stories,
We do share.
Oh is there anything at all better
Than to cruise in total harmony?
The feeling of the swell
Is like euphoria,
While we nod on our
Land-locked balcony
Rock ourselves to sleep at sea.
Karima Hoisan
2009
Karak Jordan
*Feeling nostalgic as I won’t be able to travel back to Jordan this year
Digital Rabbit Hole 
Beautiful and nostalgic. I would love to be a passenger on a ship just like that…
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Truly magical..The strong desert winds make you feel you are sailing:) Sighs
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So beautiful, both your words and the photo!
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Oh thank you! That means a lot to me…🙏
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This is so beautiful!💕
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Hello Aaysid…thank you so much for commenting❣️
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You are very welcome.😊
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you won’t be able to because of the pandemic? 😦
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HI David..partly and partly economics do to the pandemic:) Just not in the cards for 2022:(
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Hi Karima, I looked at your post and I do not see a picture of you or a kayak. Who is this Jordan guy ? I don’t see a picture of him either. You have a lot of people that enjoy your blog! I am very jealous ! Very few people read my blog. Must be something I said. Sending you good thoughts and wishes. And please get a better camera Karima !
Marc
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Hi Marc..an interesting confusion…The picture was taken by me, not of me, in my hometown of Karak Jordan(country) in The Middle East. It is a picture of the balcony where my family would spend these special nights…The view is of the castle of Karak.
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Hi Karima, It is a beautiful photo. It is true that, ” There is no place like home !”. The Kayak was just my weird sense of humor. I meant no disrespect. I know very little about your native Jordan. Is King Hussein still alive ? Is he the King that married an American?
Queen Noir ? I will look it up. I obviously am not very “global” or globally informed. What is the glowing light on top of the building in the distance ? is that a Mosque? I have been many places but never to a Arabic country. It is a very beautiful photograph ! I seem to remember that the country of Jordan is shaped like a butterfly ?? Yes ? No ?
No offense, just my lack of travel and education.
marc
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Thank you Marc,
King Hussein passed away more than 20 years ago..His son Abdullah ll is now king and his wife is Queen Rania.
Best wishes,
Karima
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What a lovely image you paint here, Karima ❤ I feel the warmth in your love for the family and home. May you be able to be with them again in harmony soon!
Hugs, Joey
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Thank you so much Joey..Oh yes I love them and miss them.. Inshallah I can go to Jordan next Ramadan.. I was hoping for this one:) Hugs
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What a beautiful portrait of family time spent together! Thanks for sharing.
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Ohh thank you Dawn for enjoying it:):
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Looks like my comment didn’t make it to you. I loved this, the concept of the ship sailing into the familial shore. I hope you get to visit your fam soon, Karima. ❤️
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Awww thank you Jeff..that happens…WordPress sometimes gobbles up comments:) Thank you so much for your s and your wishes for me too…🤗❤️🙏
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Indeed, WP does that at times. You’re most welcome, Karima. Always. ❤️🙏🥰
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There is a wonderful sense of hiraeth here. Very nicely portrayed. I recall similar feelings when leaving Ynys Mon in 1998 on my way to Manchester airport to fly to Washington. I am sure travel will return.
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Thank you so much, David, for your comment…and you taught me a new Welsh word, “hiraeth” It’s perfect for this poem!! Yes, inshAllah travel, the pandemic and the economy will all get better, but for this Ramadan (around April 1) I won’t be able to do it. Moments like the one in this poem, like you experienced too..stay with us forever.
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Nostalgia never goes away, Karima! I wish you go sometimes when situation permits. 😊💐💖
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Oh you are so right Kaushal, especially if it has been difficult to reunite again…InshAllah…next year. Thank you for your positive thoughts🙏🌹🦋🌷
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